


More Than Queen And Mother

by lorir_writes



Category: The Crown & the Flame (Visual Novels)
Genre: Anxiety, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Mention of blood, Pregnancy, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 18:20:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29953998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lorir_writes/pseuds/lorir_writes
Summary: Kenna is having a hard time adjusting to her new role
Relationships: Raydan Lykel/Kenna Rys
Kudos: 1





	More Than Queen And Mother

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Submission to CFWC Female Characters Week: Day 4 - Motherhood (on Tumblr)
> 
> 2\. Warning: This piece contains adult material (mentions of anxiety, pregnancy complications, blood) that may be disturbing/offensive for some people. Reader discretion is advised.

As the sun set on the horizon, the light blended in the blue sky, creating a perfect hue of yellow, orange, pink, and purple. From the balcony of the royal chambers, Queen Kenna watched nature’s spectacle unamused as her fingers idly ran on the rim of her goblet. From a very young age, Kenna learned one of her many life missions and accomplishments as queen would be to provide heirs to the throne. According to her mother and all her tutors, a royal baby would bring as much stability to the Kingdom and to her family’s dynasty as winning wars.

However, her current condition felt nothing like any wars she has been in before. Ever since the royal physician advised her to abstain from all activities that could cause her any distress, Raydan began to handle all royal duties on his own. She had no doubts her husband would do a great job. But her initial relief to step away from her duties to bear her first child became a succession of boring days.

“Oh, Your Majesty!”

A gasp interrupted the queen’s thought. Kenna heaved a sigh and straightened up her posture. “Yes, Clover?”

“By the gods, your Majesty!” Azura’s former handmaiden rushed to the balcony. “Don’t bend yourself like this! Or lean against the railing!”

“I’m fine, Clover,” Kenna replied.

“But what if you felt dizzy and fell off? We can’t have that! Allow me to help you get back to bed.” The young girl took the queen’s hand and guided her towards the royal bedchambers.

Knowing the handmaiden would cause a bigger fuss than the situation was, the queen simply followed the woman and returned to bed once again.

In a few minutes, servants walked in and out the queen’s chambers, offering her food, wine, gifts from nobles, and entertainment. She forced a smile and politely thanked everyone, but she wanted to be alone with her thoughts.

Kenna stood up and looked at herself in the mirror. Her body visibly changed. Her belly was growing faster than she expected, her rings no longer fit her fingers, she was hungry and get tired too easily. Even her face looked different. If this is the natural course of life, why didn’t she feel ready? Would her mind ever adapt and follow?

A soft knock on the door pulled her out of her reverie.

“I don’t wish any more entertainment, Clover! Thank you!” Kenna shouted.

“So I’ve heard…” Annelyse answered, poking her head through the partly open door.

“Annelyse!” Kenna beamed and turned around, meeting her loyal friend halfway as the other walked into the room and rushed to the queen. “It’s so good to see you!”

The two queens hugged.

“It’s good to see you too,” Annelyse pulled away to look at her friend. “You’re already showing…You look stunning.”

“Thank you…” Kenna smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“Oh no. Is something wrong?” Annelyse held her friend’s hand in worry.

“Yes…” Kenna’s brows knitted together. “Or not… I’m not sure.”

“We should talk about while having these delicious treats brought to you then.” Annelyse gestured for Kenna to sit back in the bed while she pulled up a chair closer to the warrior queen and reached for the tray with sweets.

“How are you feeling?” Annelyse asked as she poured wine for both of them.

“Bloated, bored, uneasy…” Kenna twisted her lips in a scowl.

“It happens to the best of us, Kenna. I understand if this situation is underwhelming for you. You got used to practicing sword fighting for hours every day. Now you’re only allowed to take walks for a few minutes.”

“Did I mention my walks are supervised?”

“The last time I heard, you were training recruits with Val when you began to lose blood.”

The warrior queen frowned, averting her gaze. “I didn’t mean for it to happen…”

“We all know that, Kenna,” Annelyse replied then took a sip of her wine.

After eating a few loukoumades¹ and talking about different subjects, Kenna decided to talk about an important matter. “Annelyse, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“How was your childhood like?”

Annelyse looked at the tray filled with sweets covered in honey and reached for one. “It was just the childhood of any other heiresses. Many tutors, nannies, handmaidens, classes to learn dancing, entertaining guests, the art of negotiations, politics…”

“And very little proximity to your parents…”

“I loved my parents dearly and my mother tried to stay as close as she could, but yes.” Annelyse nodded.

“How so?”

“Sometimes, she’d take some time to teach me a few things herself. I learned everything I know about taking care of my beauty and etiquette with her. Besides, I was a really polite young girl, so she always took me to tea parties and meetings with her.” The Aurelian queen smiled fondly.

“I never really cared for those things when I was a child. I always wanted to run across meadows, play with the other kids and learn how to fight.” Kenna looked down at her belly and placed a hand on it. “Maybe I should have paid more attention to those moments with my mother. They were rare…”

“Don’t dwell on this, my friend.” Annelyse placed her hand atop Kenna’s. “You were just a child. And it’s a good thing that you knew your true calling since then.”

“But do you think a queen can be a loving mother without becoming just a consort?”

“Perhaps… I don’t have proof it happened before, but I know how much our mothers tried. It wouldn’t hurt to follow their footsteps sometimes.”

And just then, hope bloomed inside Kenna’s mind.

Kenna was still half asleep when strong arms encircled her waist and soft lips brushed on her shoulder. Her lips curled upwards in a soft smile before her eyes fluttered open. Even if she felt tired, she couldn’t help it. He always knew how to make her smile. “My love…” she whispered.

“Good evening, my queen,” Raydan murmured, nuzzling her neck. “Forgive me for disturbing your sleep, but I couldn’t wait to see you tomorrow. I miss you.”

“It’s alright…” She replied. “If you didn’t wake me up, I’d go to your bedchambers in the middle of the night anyway.”

His low chuckle rumbled in her ear, sending tingles down her spine.

“How are you feeling tonight?”

Kenna shifted on her side to look at him. “Bored…”

“I can imagine. You only forget your royal duties when I do this…” Lifting her chin up, Raydan pressed his lips on hers, his tongue running along her bottom lip before invading her mouth to deepen the kiss. After minutes of long heated kisses, the king finally pulled away.

“You’re right. I hardly remember where I am when you kiss me.”

“That’s the idea.”

They smiled at each other, but then her face grew serious.

“Raydan, I need to tell you something.”

“I’m listening.”

“After our child is born, I’ll return to my duties as queen regnant.”

“Yes. I only agreed to rule the Five Kingdoms on my own because you need to rest. I never wanted to rule without you,” he said brushing a few locks of hair away from her face. “You’re not less of a queen because you’re not in the throne room every day. We still talk about politics and your ideas help the kingdom more than you know.”

“Don’t you think I won’t be a mediocre mother if I dedicate my time to serve the kingdoms?”

“No. I am sure our children will be happy and proud to have you as a mother. But I need you to remember you’re more than just a queen and a mother. The woman I fell in love with is a fierce warrior, smart woman, and natural leader. You can be all of those things at once. Your current delicate condition doesn’t erase the fact that you are legendary Kenna Rys. Don’t ever forget that.”

Kenna bit down her lip to stop it from quivering and nodded. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” he smiled then kissed the tip of her nose.

Just then, Kenna shifted on the bed again, facing away from him to brush away a few tears.

“My queen?”

“Yes?”

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine…”

Craning his neck to see her face, his brows furrowed. “Are you crying?”

“No…” She sniffed.

His arms wrapped around her tightly.

“I don’t know why…” She sobbed, placing a hand over his arm. “You know me. I don’t cry so easily.”

“I heard it’s common for pregnant women to get emotional.”

“I heard about it too. But I’m fine.”

“Okay…”

A brief moment of blissful silence passed by when Kenna spoke again. “You’re not leaving me because I said I’m fine, are you?”

“Absolutely not,” he answered, kissing her shoulder again.

_______

¹ Sweet fried dough popular in the regions nowadays knows as Greece and Turkey since the sixteenth century.


End file.
